DONNA LORAINE PALMER, OF CALGARY PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY NOVEMBER 5, 2000 AT GIMLI, MANITOBA AT THE AGE OF 65 YEARS.
DONNA WAS BORN MARCH 24, 1935 AT LOON LAKE, SASKATCHEWAN THE ELDEST OF THE LARGE FAMILY OF ORVILLE AND ALICE DITTO. DONNA BEGAN HER EDUCATION IN SASKATCHEWAN, AS A TEENAGER SHE CAME TO THE REID HILL DISTRICT TO WORK AND FINISH HER SCHOOLING. SHE LOVED THE PEOPLE, LANDSCAPE AND THE LIFESTYLE IN RURAL VULCAN. SHE MET A COWBOY AND FARMER, STEWART DOUGLASS AND THEY WERE MARRIED IN 1954. DONNA WAS A HARD WORKER AND ENJOYED THE FARM WAY OF LIFE, OPERATING MACHINERY AND CARING FOR THEIR THREE CHILDREN. HER LIFE CONTINUED TO CHANGE AND IN 1973 SHE DIVORCED STEWART AND MOVED TO CALGARY WHERE SHE PURCHASED A HOUSE ON LANCING AVENUE, A FAMILY GATHERING PLACE WHICH WAS MOST IMPORTANT TO HER. IN 1980 SHE MARRIED REV. WIL PORAT, THEY WERE TOGETHER NINE YEARS, AND PURCHASED THE FLOWER SHOP IN VULCAN. DONNA STUDIED FLORAL DESIGN IN THE NETHERLANDS AND VANCOUVER AND SOLD THE SHOP IN 1987. THE FOLLOWING YEAR DONNA OPENED VILLAGE BOUTIQUE FLOWERS ON KENSINGTON ROAD AND MOVED INTO CALGARY FROM DIDSBURY. DONNA CONTINUED OPERATING THE FLOWER SHOP IN KENSINGTON AND RECENTLY MOVED IT TO HER HOME.
THE CAREER THAT TOOK THE MOST TIME WHICH SHE LIKED THE BEST AND EXCELLED AT WAS THAT OF A PARENT. A MOTHER, SUPPORTER AND ADVISOR TO HER CHILDREN AND HER GRANDCHILDREN, ALL OF WHICH WERE VERY SPECIAL TO HER IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SHE ALSO ENJOYED TRAVELLING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. DONNA WAS A DETERMINED MODERN DAY WOMAN WHO KEPT UP WITH THE CHANGING TIMES AND EASILY ADAPTED TO THEM.
DONNA WAS A MEMBER OF BERRYWATER LOCAL OF UNITED FARMERS OF ALBERTA, AN EXECUTIVE AND BOARD MEMBER OF CHIANINA CATTLE ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA AND A VOLUNTEER FOR SIX YEARS WITH THE CALGARY EXHIBITION AND STAMPEDE, ACTIVE LIVING FLORAL DESIGN SHOW.
LOVING MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS LESLEY (PAT) BAROTT OF VULCAN, DARLENE (RICK) HAUTALA OF GOLDEN, B.C., A SON CASEY (DOROTHY) DOUGLASS OF RUSSIA, FIVE GRANDCHILDREN CHELLA BAROTT, PATRICIA BAROTT OF BOTH OF VULCAN, SHELBY HAUTALA OF GOLDEN, B.C., ABIGAIL DOUGLASS OF RUSSIA, HER MOTHER ALICE BERSCHEID OF KELOWNA, TWO SISTERS SHARON (WAYNE) WOODMAN OF GOLDEN, B.C., MAXINE (RON) RICKLEY OF KELOWNA, TWO BROTHERS HAROLD (ESTER) PALMER OF CALGARY, MAURICE (FLORENCE) DITTO OF VULCAN, NUMEROUS AUNTS, UNCLES, NIECES, NEPHEWS AND COUSINS.
DONNA WAS PREDECEASED BY HER FATHER ORVILLE DITTO, ED BERSCHEID, AN INFANT SISTER ARLENE PALMER AND A BROTHER MARVIN DITTO.
FUNERAL SERVICE WAS HELD FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2000 AT 2:00 P.M. AT BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, VULCAN.
INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.
HONORARY BEARERS WERE DOROTHY AND LOUIS PALMER, MARG EDEN, DEANNA DARE, MARJ PHELAN, GRACE AND KEN JESSE, MARILYN AND KEITH HEALY.
CASKET BEARERS WERE HAROLD PALMER, MAURICE DITTO, HERB SELLIN, ALAN WEBBER, JERRY PALMER AND BRIAN PALMER.
TRIBUTES IN DONNA’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO THE “WORD FOR LIFE CENTRE”, FOR THE RUSSIAN CHILDREN’S LITERACY, PROJECT OF CASEY AND DOROTHY DOUGLASS C/O RR4 SITE 4 BOX 50 RED DEER, ALBERTA T4N 5E4.
ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 1-403-485-2633. E-MAIL CONDOLENCES TO vulcanfuneralhome@hotmail.com.